Deck the Halls

Ellie has been decking our halls with various ribbon scraps she finds laying around the house and is convinced..."Santa's going to be like, this house has the prettiest decorations!" I quite agree, Ellie.


























































































































































































Jonah had an interesting derision of this particular carol. Rather than 'Tis the season to be jolly, he's been inadvertently singing "Change the season to be jolly." I'm loving it, especially considering my efforts of late to make this holiday as stress-free as possible. We've been having a blast. This week, like everyone else I'm sure, we have something every night. This is how I've decided to approach the busyness. Do we have time for it? Yes. Are there any major conflicts? No. Do we want to be there? Most definitely. So, what's left to be stressed out about? Nothing. We're changing the season to be jolly this year and reaping the benefits.

And these are just some fun pictures of Jonah with the geckos we found in our wood pile. He's fearless with these reptiles.

Holiday Cheer

Here's something fun to do this weekend. I'm not playing this concert, but thought I'd still try to get the word out!

An Afternoon of Christmas Delights

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The Symphony of the Southwest invites you to attend our "Afternoon of Christmas Delights" THIS SATURDAY, Dec 19, 2:30 PM, Ikeda Theater @ the Mesa Arts Center. This special concert features Arizona Soprano Lisanne Norman (See details below) performing An Old Gaelic Carol, O Holy Night, Gesu Bambino, What Child is This, and the Twelve Days of Christmas. The audience will be invited to sing-a-long as the orchestra plays well known carols and popular Christmas songs joined side by side with the Youth Symphony of the Southwest. This program is a sure fire to put you in the holiday spirit. SPECIAL OFFER **Enter promo code Santa when purchasing tickets for $10 tickets per person.** Tickets can be purchased at the Mesa Arts Center Box Office 480-644-6500 / online at QUILT RAFFLE In addition, we will be displaying a special quilt that will be raffled off at the end of the season as well as many other wonderful gifts you can purchase during the intermission. For pictures and further information about the quilt, click here. For further information about the Symphony of the Southwest, visit our website: www.symphonyofthesouthwest.org * * * * * * Lisanne Norman Our featured soprano soloist, Lisanne Norman, has been describe as, "A voice with limitless power and faultless technique." She has performed with Arizona Opera, Phoenix Metropolitan Opera, Utah Opera, and the Prague Radio Symphony Chamber Orchestra. To listen to this marvelous voice, visit her website at http://www.lisannenorman.com/lisannerecordings.html * * * * * * Symphony of the Southwest Quilt Raffle This is the special quilt made by Janet Haas which we'll be selling raffle tickets for at $1 each or 6 for $5. Tickets may be purchased at the concert or call the Symphony office for more details at (480) 827-2143. All proceeds go to benefit the Symphony of the Southwest.

Ebenezer Greer

Why does the most wonderful time of the year have to be the most insane time of the year? It doesn't feel like Christmas if we just hang out on our rears at home and miss out on all the seasons' delights: concerts, temple lights, boutiques, family parties, etc. And yet, that stuff makes me a little crazy. I'm looking for an expert out there that can tell me how to manage it; how to hold on to the traditions without going absolutely berserk.

I'm frustrated that two thirds of our children are already old enough to know exactly what they want for Christmas and fully expect that Santa will get it for them. I'm frustrated that the more they understand, the more about presents it becomes despite efforts to focus outwardly. And I'm frustrated that I'm letting it become about presents by stressing out over all the shopping. How sad is it that I'm already looking forward to the day they don't believe in the Fat Man so they can gain a little perspective into how the buying toys thing is linked to the Mom and Dad's budget thing?

Wow, I'm really starting to sound like a Scrooge. Maybe I could take a lesson from that literary fellow because seriously, I don't want to spend the holidays stressed and yelling at my kids...or in chains for that matter.

I'm thinking my biggest problem is having grand expectations of how this Christmas Season will go. Throw that out the window and maybe I'll be okay. It's worth a try. Not that we'll quit it all; I'm just going to enjoy the things we can show up for and not worry about the rest.

And with that I'll post some pics of the kids I took for Christmas cards (another stressful event that I'm trying to forget about).

Char loves that "ooster" (rooster) necklace she's wearing, and has been wearing for probably a month now.

So the most stressful thing about these pictures is that the red barn looking building is actually the cutest chicken coop ever located at a friend's house (so grateful she let me come use her backyard!). That doesn't sound stressful until you consider my kids were absolute sissies about the chickens. Charlotte was really freaking out and the other two weren't keen on them either. And the things don't exactly leave you alone to go about your business either. They were a little pesky. Ironically, the picture I love best (didn't post...it's our Christmas card!) worked out so nicely because they were keeping their eyes on the chickens. Really I ought to be thanking them. Anyway, I'm glad that's over with and next year I'm looking forward to a real photographer to take charge (that would be you, Jill!)

Thanksgiving 2009

In a moment of insanity I said I would host Thanksgiving for my family of 33. And in retrospect, I'm so glad I did! Josh got to cook the turkey trying his hand at an outdoor pit, I got to make myself crazy with preparations for a perfect Thanksgiving dinner (maybe I'd let that one go next time) and we discovered our little home could do it! Not without a bit of crowding, but then my family is big...we're a crowd wherever we are.

I hope they all enjoyed it as much as I did!

Maddy, Faith, Emma and Ellie...cute girls or what?!

The extent of my creativity comes in the form of plagiarizing other people's brilliant ideas. This one comes from my friend Shawni. I loved it! Thanks, Shawni!

Notice a bit of role reversal? I tried to tell Josh that "MOM" inside-out was still "MOM." But when it comes to these big events he might as well take the credit. His smoked turkey was a-maaa-zing! I'm not one for turkey ordinarily, but was all a gobble about this year's bird. A job well done to my honey.

Char can't get enough of her cuz, Preston. Of course he is the only one that will give her piece after piece of "gon" (gum).

The feast...or half of it anyway.

A little hanging out after stuffing our faces with turkey and not yet quite feeling the effects of the tryptophan.

I love that these cousins are all best buds.

And of course I love, love, love my Allred girls! Here we are in order from oldest to youngest even (left to right): Cassi, Mikki, Kristin, Bekki, Mom (a little out of order, but then probably younger in spirit than all of us put together) and me.

Thanks to Mik for being our Thanksgiving photographer!

Shark Tooth

There's a pile of yucky dishes in the sink that need some serious tending to so of course I'm blogging. The way I see it, life history also needs tending to and if one has to go...well then I'm perfectly happy to plop my tired little bum into a chair, force my tired little eyes to stay open (at 8:24 PM) and document the oh so exciting events of our oh so exciting family. Actually, this is a big one and I've been meaning to get to it for a while...

My Jonah bubs has lost his first tooth! And grown in two more. It's a little creepy looking. See for yourself.


This was taken before the one fell out. We've still got one more to go before he no longer looks like a shark.

Jonah's note to the tooth fairy was cute...


Translation: "I want the tooth fairy to pick up (my tooth). Love, Jonah." And then partially erased at the bottom, "Lost my tooth." He wrote that while Josh and I were scouring the house looking for the lost prize. We eventually found it...in the garbage.

A friend just wrote a cute post, The Truth Fairy, and it was something I've been thinking about lately. I was so afraid Jonah was going to ask if the Tooth Fairy were real because I don't ever remember believing it as a child. And I wasn't sure if I was prepared to lie about it either because let's face it, she doesn't play a super important role in the land of make believe. I'd say she ranks right up there with the Easter Bunny (not a fave with me). But more than that, I was afraid if he figured out the Tooth Fairy weren't real he'd assume Santa was no more either. A truly devastating thought.

And yet, I'm not a good liar. Let's just say I let out a big sigh of relief when he took the announcement of a magical fairy who comes in the middle of the night to snatch your tooth from underneath your pillow leaving a few coins in its place, without question.

This one's for the whole family!

Tubby the Tuba and Friends, Nov 21st

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Dear Friends, Tubby the Tuba will be performed at the Mesa Arts Center - Ikeda Theater, November 21, 2009 at 2:30 PM. This concert is held on a Saturday and will be held in the afternoon at 2:30 PM. Tubby the Tuba and Friends will be a fun afternoon for the entire family with the Youth Symphony performing Debussy's Children's Corner, Symphony of the Southwest performing Carnival of the Animals featuring acclaimed pianists Walter Cosand and Robert Hamilton, and finally Tubby the Tuba will be narrated by special guest, the Honorable Scott Smith, Mayor of Mesa. Concert is at the Mesa Arts Center - Ikeda Theater, November 21, 2009 at 2:30 PM. Tickets may be purchased through the Mesa Arts Center Box Office for $17. Memberships are still available starting at $50. That's the equivalent of going to the next three concerts and getting into the final concert free. And we've got some great concerts coming up with the Christmas Delights concert, the Space and Science concert performing Holst's The Planets, and our Mother's Day concert "From Paris . . . with Love." It's a great season and a great value. More membership options are listed below or can be found at our website: Memberships This will be an entertaining afternoon, so be sure to invite your friends and family. They'll thank you for it! * * * * * * Walter Cosand Walter Cosand, pianist and Professor of Music at Arizona State University, studied at Eastman School of Music with Cecile Genhart and Barry Snyder. He also studied with Joerg Demus in Europe on a grant from the DAAD. He has won several significant awards including the Eastman Concerto Competition, the grand prize from the International Piano Recording Competition and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit http://www.waltercosand.com/index.html * * * * * * Robert Hamilton Hamilton has made countless concert tours of four continents, appearing in the major halls of most music capitals. His orchestral engagements have included the Chicago Symphony, National Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Grant Park Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony and S.O.D.R.E. Mr. Hamilton has been heard over numerous radio networks including NPR, ABC, BBC London, Voice of America, Armed Forces Network, DRS Zurich and Radio Warsaw. He has recorded for Phillips, Orion and Summit Records. Hamilton currently has an exciting class of international students at ASU, and has given master classes throughout the world. * * * * * * The Honorable Scott Smith, Mayor of Mesa Mayor Smith serves on many boards and committees a few are the US Conference of Mayors Advisory Board, National League of Cities Transportation Infrastructure Committee, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Board and Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council Executive Committee. Professionally, Mayor Smith has worked for both Price Waterhouse and ExecuShare, LTD. He also worked for the University of Phoenix as an accounting and finance instructor. Most recently, Mayor Smith served as President for both Great Western Homes and K. Hovnanian Homes. Mayor Smith earned a degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University, after completing a two-year mission in Bolivia. He continued his studies at Arizona State University earning a Master's Degree in Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate.

Do your feet have names?

If you were to ask Ellie this question, the answer would be, "Yes!" And then pointing at the bottoms of her feet, "This one's Jonah and this one's Ellie."

Josh and I discovered this little secret of hers during Sacrament Meeting yesterday when, shoes kicked off, she was sitting on her knees facing the back of the pew. I look down and on the soles of her feet were written "Ellie" on her right foot and "Jonah" on her left. Looks like we need to have the FHE lesson "Our Bodies are a Temple" tonight...again.

I got a picture of it later, but it had already faded quite a bit. A close look though and you'll see what I got to see in the middle of Sacrament Meeting...not the most opportune time to bust a laugh.

Halloween 2009

I have to admit, Halloween's not my favorite. The gore, the cheesy Walgreens decorations, the bucket loads of candy that inevitably I end up eating, the endless costume parties...it's all a bit much for me. This year however, I took a more chilled approach. The kids wore whatever costumes they wanted to the various parties, we carved pumpkins last minute with no expectations of winning any contests, after trick-or-treating we sat around our fire pit in our driveway with good friends and family and a few days later we set up a makeshift store of toys/gifts that required payment in candy so that hardly any is left. All in all, I'd say Halloween was a huge success. The kids are now gearing up for Christmas, asking every other minute how far away it is. It's the most wonderful time of the year around here.



Pictures from Halloween...











These are from the Allred get together we had before trick-or-treating...




Just a few of the Allred cousins getting all geared up for some serious candy snatching.

Doesn't it look like Jonah could really adore a baby brother???


Unfortunately, he'll have to put that thought on hold cause we're having another GIRL!!! Yea for two bedroom homes (kids rooms, that is) and three little girls! I may really be hoping for a boy next time around (assuming I'm still sane enough for that).

Meanwhile, Jonah has contented himself with his new pet snake, Tiger. I know, I'm so full of surprises today and believe you me, the snake was a definite surprise. I've always maintained a very strict "No Pets" policy in our home, but I caved when Josh's uncle called wondering if Jonah would like to take custody of their 15 year old King snake. Well, that right there was promising. They only live 18 years or so. And the maintenance is quite manageable...if you can get over the live mouse being strangled to death about every other week. Charlotte thinks it's pretty cool. "Mouse dead?" she asks as she watches with her face pressed against the glass. Yep, we're raising some pretty tough kids who already at the age of two can understand and accept death as a natural course in life. Great.

The first day Tiger made our home his (or hers...not really sure) I though he'd escaped because I couldn't find him anywhere in the cage. I called Josh to tell him he was coming home that second. Luckily, I took another good look and saw he was hiding under the straw. No other close calls so far and for the most part I can content myself with the fact that Jonah is one very happy boy.